Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5188992 | Polymer | 2006 | 10 Pages |
Abstract
Nanocomposite fibers of nylon-6 and an organically modified montmorillonite (O-MMT), Cloisite-30B, were prepared by electrospinning. Dispersion and exfoliation of O-MMT in nylon-6 were achieved by melt-extrusion in a twin-screw extruder prior to dissolving in aqueous formic acid for electrospinning. The effects of O-MMT layers on the properties of the nylon-6 solution and electrospun nanocomposite fibers were investigated. Homogeneous, cylindrical nanocomposite fibers with diameters ranging from 70 to 140Â nm could be prepared from the 15% composite solution. The O-MMT layers were well exfoliated inside the nanocomposite fibers and were oriented along the fiber direction. Both the degree of nylon-6 crystallinity and the crystallite sizes increased for the nanocomposite fibrous mats, most significantly for those composed of the smallest fibers electrospun from 15% solution. The mechanical properties of the electrospun fibrous mats and single fibers depended not only on the addition of O-MMT layers but also on the sizes of the fibers. Smaller fibers exhibited higher Young's modulus.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Authors
Lei Li, Leon M. Bellan, Harold G. Craighead, Margaret W. Frey,